Tail gate release



Um. i, 1935. H. B. FLEMING TAIL GATE RELEASE Original Filed Aug. 17, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l Invenior i fizuardli T292 Oct. 1, 1935. H, B, FLEMING 'TAIL GATE RELEASE Original Filed Aug. 17, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenior fizua 227.3 7] 6 2222)? @CL 1, 1935. FLEMlNG 2,016,267

TAIL GATE RELEASE Original Filed Aug. 17, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 1, 1935 PATENT OFF-ICE TAIL GATE RELEASE Howard Blair Fleming, Scarboro, Maine, assignor to The Boyd Corporation, Portland, Maine, a

corporation of Maine Application August 17, 1933, Serial No. 685,625 Renewed March 23, 1935 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in tail gate releases for dump trucks and has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a release of this character which may be conveniently operated from the cab of the truck.

,Another very important object of the invention is to prov1de,in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a tail gate release embodying a novel cone struction, combination and arrangement of parts through the medium of which said release may be operated regardless of the position of the body v of the truck.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tail gate release of the character described which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in operation, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become ap parent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through a portion of a truck, showing an embodiment of the present invention mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a View in vertical transverse section, taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in top plan of the tail gate release.

Figure 4 is a detail View in vertical section through the slide.

Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective of the lever which is actuated by the slide.

Figure 6 is a plan view, showing a pair of tail gate latches which are actuated by the release constituting the present invention.

Figure '7 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through a modified form of the invention.

Figure 8 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line B-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through another modification.

Figure 10 is a view in top plan of a portion of the modification shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a top plan view, showing one of the tail gate latches and the adjacent operating mechanism therefor in releasing position.

Figure 12 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 11, the supporting member being shown in cross section.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the reference numeral 1 designates a rocker shaft which is journaled longitudinally on the truck frame in suitable bearings 2. Fixed on the forward end portion of the shaft I, within convenient reach of the operator sitting in the drivers seat of the truck, is an operating lever 3.

The dump body 4 of the truck is mounted, as usual, on depending brackets 5 which are journaled on the end portions of a shaft 6 which, in turn, is mounted transversely on the rear portion of the truck frame 'l. Mounted for reciprocation on the shaft 8 is a slide 8 upon which a collar 9 is rotatably mounted. Fixed on the rear end portion of the shaft I is an arm l0 having a slot H therein which accommodates a pin I2 which projects from the slide 8, thus operatively connecting said slide 8 to the shaft l for actuation thereby.

Depending from the cross member l3 of the truck body is a hanger l4 upon the lower end portion of which a lever I5 is pivotally mounted at an intermediate point. At its lower end the lever i5 is pivotally connected to an upstanding lug on the collar 9, as at 16. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 5 of the drawings, the lower end portion of the lever I5 is offset and bifurcated, the bifurcations straddling the lug on the collar 9. The inner ends of a pair of transverse rods ll are pivotally connected to the upper end portion of the lever I5, as at I8.

Pivotally mounted beneath the cross member l3 of the truck body is a pair of links 18' to the free forward end portions of which the rods l! are pivotally connected. The reference numeral l9 designates a pair of longitudinally extending rods which are loosely connected, at their rear ends, to the usual tail gate latches 26. At their forward ends, the rods l9 are pivotally connected by couplings 2| to the links l8 for actuation by said links.

It will thus be seen that when the shaft I is rocked in its bearings 2, the slide 8 will be shifted on the shaft 6 by the arm H] and the pin l2. Movement of the slide 8, of course, actuates the lever l5 which, in turn, actuates the links I8 through the rods H. The links 18', as will be apparent, swing the rods 19 laterally and at the same time impart longitudinal movement to said rods for actuating the tail gate latches 20. In other words, when the links I8 are swung from the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings to the position shown in Figure 11, the latches 20 are swung rearwardly on their pivots to gate releasing position. In Figure l of the drawings, the tail gate of the truck is indicated at 22. It will thus be seen that the tail gate may be conveniently released by a person sitting in the operators seat of the truck. It will further be seen that, by reason of the rotary collar 9 on the slide 8, said slide 8 will function to shift or actuate the rods IT at all times regardless of the position of the dump body 4.

In the modified form of the invention illusrated in Figures '7 and s of the drawings, the

reference numeral 23 designates a bell crank lever which is mounted to swing in a horizontal plane forwardly of, the shaft 6 on a suitable supporting bracket 24. nects the bell crank lever 23 to a hand lever 26 mounted in or adjacent the cab of the truck.

One end of the bell crank lever 23 is slotted for the reception of an annular rib 21 which is provided on a slide 28 which is mounted on the shaft 6. The reference numeral 29 designates a lever which is substantially similar in operation to the lever I 5 but which includes a forked lower end portion which straddles the rib 21.

It will thus be seen that when the bell crank lever 23 is actuated by the hand lever 26 through the medium of the rod 25, the slide 28 will be shifted on the shaft 6, the slot in one end portion of said bell crank lever'23 which receives the annular rib 2i compensating forthe are described by the bell crank lever. When the slide 23 is shifted on the shaft 6 the lever 29 is, of course,

actuated to shift the rods ll. As the truck body 4 is raised or lowered the lever 29 travels about the slide 28, said lever being'mounted concentrically with said slide, as will be seen.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, the reference numeral 30 designates a bell crank lever which is mounted to swing in a horizontal plane on a suitable supporting bracket 3|. The hand lever 32, located in or adjacent the truck cab, is operatively connected to one end of the bell crank lever 30 by a rod 33. The other end of the bell crank lever .30 is operatively connected to a slide 34 which is mounted for reciprocation on the shaft 6 by a link 35. The slide 34 has projecting therefrom a lug 36 to which the link 35 is pivotallyconnected. Rotatably mounted on the slide 34 is a collar 31 which is similar to the collar 9. In other respects the modification shown in Figures 9 and 10 is similar in construction to that form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive.

It is believed that the many advantages of a tail gate release constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiments of the invention are as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that further modifications or changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is 1. A tail gate release for dump vehicles of the type including tail gate securing latches, a transverse shaft and a body mounted for tilting movement on said shaft, comprising a slide mounted type including tail gate securing latches, aframe,

a shaft mounted transversely on the frame, and a body mounted for tilting movement on the shaft, comprising a slide mounted for reciprocation on the shaft, means for actuating the slide, a lever pivotally mounted on the body'for movement therewith about the shaft When said A rod 25 operatively con- 7 body is tilted, means operativelyconnecting the slide to the lever, toggles pivotally mounted on the body, rods operatively connecting the links to the lever for actuation thereby, and rods operatively connecting the tail gate latches ts; the: 5 links for actuation by said links when the first named means is actuated.

3. A tail gate release for dump vehicles of the type including tail gate securing latches, a frame, a transverse shaft mounted on the frame and a 10 body mounted for tilting movement on said shaft,

" comprising a'slide mounted for reciprocation on the shaft, manually operable means on the frame and connected to the slide for actuating said slide, a collar rotatably mounted on the 15 slide, a lever pivotally mounted on the body and pivotally connected, at one end, to the collar',.- links pivotally mounted on the body, rods ply-- otally connected, at one end, to the links and at their other ends to the other end of the lever, 202 and rods operatively connecting the tail gate latches to the links for actuation by said links when the first-named means is actuated.

4. A tail gate release for dump vehicles of the type including tail gate securing latches, a frame, 25' a shaft mounted transversely on the frame and a body mounted for tilting movement on said shaft, comprising a slide mounted for reciprocation on the shaft, a rocker shaft journaled longitudinally on the frame, an actuating lever fixed on the 30 rocker shaft, an arm fixed on the rocker shaft, said arm having a slot therein, a pin projecting from the slide and engaged in the slot for connecting said slide to the rocker'shaft for actuation thereby, a collar rotatably mounted on the 35 slide, a second lever pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, on the body and pivotally connected, at one end, to the collar, links pivotally mounted on the body, rods operatively connecting the tail gate latches to the links for actuation 40.

thereby when the rocker shaft is actuated, and. rods pivotally connected, at one end, to the links and at their other ends to the other end of the said second lever.

5. A tail gate release for dump vehicles of the 45. type including tail gate securing latches, a frame, a transverse shaft on said frame and a body mounted for tilting movement on said shaft, comprising a slide mounted for reciprocation on the shaft, an annular rib on the slide, a bell crank 50 lever pivotally mounted on the frame, said bell." crank lever having a slot in one end portion thereof for the reception of the rib for operatively connecting the bell crank lever to the slide, manually operable means on the frame for actu- 55 ating the bell crank lever, a lever pivotally mounted on the body for movement therewith, said lever including a forked end portion engaged with the rib for connecting said lever to the slide, and means operatively connecting the tail 60 gate latches to the lever for actuation thereby when the first-named means is actuated.

6. A tail gate release for dump vehicles of the type including tail gate securing latches, a frame, a transverse shaft on said frame and a body mounted for tilting movement on said shaft, comprising a slide mounted'for reciprocation on the shaft, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on the frame, a link operatively connecting the bell crank lever to the slide, manually operable means on the frame for actuating the bell crank lever,

and means operatively connectingthe tail gate latches to the slide for actuation by said slide when said means is actuated.

HOWARD BLAIR FLEMING. 

